August 9, 2020

Visit: www.stjoan.com 4537 Third Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55419 612.823.8205 Fax: 612.825.7028

Pastor’s 2 Cents From: Fr. Jim DeBruycker

I lived for a short time in both Israel and Florida. Israel is driven by intellectual innovation; Florida…not so much. Florida has the ocean, palm trees, rockets, oranges and theme parks. Israel has the ocean, deserts, oranges and religion - lots of religion. Both locations depend on tourism and both places sell tons of cheesy souvenirs. Most of Florida’s souvenirs are based on shells, NASA and theme park iconography (i.e. mouse ears.) In Israel, most of the souvenirs are based on religion. A blessed candle from the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, a miniature Torah, an olive wood carving, a mother of pearl miniature of the Dome of the Rock. Of course, having your picture taken in front of anyone of the thousand holy sites is de rigueur. Sometimes entrepreneurs in Israel create their own holy sites. My favorite was a gentleman who took two concrete blocks, set them in the Sea of Galilee with a plank between them just beneath the water. Then he set up his cameras in order to take a picture or video of you seemingly walking on the water. You paid per picture or for the video tape. Most people settled for a picture, but some had to capture acting out their favorite biblical story, like today’s Gospel of Peter walking on the water. When it comes to money, people’s ingenuity and gullibility are endless. Of course today’s story is to have faith that God is with you, especially when you do good. The disciples have just experienced the feeding of the 5000 so they knew what Jesus was capable of. Peter gets this novel idea, “Maybe we can do what Jesus does?” “Bingo,” as Julie Madden always says, “he hops out of the boat and voila, he doesn’t sink!” Of course, we then can hear his inner doubts starting. “What do I think I’m doing? I’m not Jesus. I can’t do this. I’m going to drown!” Down he goes like a lead balloon. Of course this is typical Peter, ready to risk success and then fearing his own success, he loses heart. His strength, however, is his resilience in defeat and the willingness to ask for forgiveness and try again. Thank God he is taking attendance at the pearly gates. He understands us. Today we also have the story of Elijah and the passing by of God. The expectation is God will make a big noise to indicate God’s presence. But God makes God’s prescience known in a quiet whisper a gentle breeze. Dramatic gestures are important, but individual acts of kindness and justice by many individuals together are perhaps even more dramatic in the long run.

No Gathering for Masses planned at this time. The same applies to all meetings or gatherings.

Parish Center will be open 9:00am - 3:00pm Monday thru Friday

56 Days Until Imagination Cabaret 2020: Mark your calendars! and join us on Saturday, October 3 at 7pm for: • A FREE, 90-Minute Live concert broadcast on Stjoan.com • Our 26th Annual SJA Concert Fundraiser - Your contributions make a difference to our 90 programs throughout the SJA community, city, country and world. • Featuring over 20 performances from Twin Cities musical luminaries • You can also buy a chance to win a Maui vacation or cash prizes! • Find details on the SJA website (www.stjoan.com) and our Facebook page

Scripture Readings:

Sun, Aug. 9: 1 Kings 19:9a,11-13a; Romans 9:1-5; Matt 14:22-33 Mon, Aug. 10: 2 Corinthians 9:6-10; John 12:24-26 Tue, Aug. 11: Ezekiel 2:8—3:4; Matthew 18:1-5, 10, 12-14 Wed, Aug. 12: Ezekiel 9:1-7, 10:18-22; Matthew 18:15-20 Thu, Aug. 13: Ezekiel 12:1-12; Matthew 18: 21-19: 1 Fri, Aug. 14: Ezekiel 16:1-15, 60, 63; Matthew 19:3-12 Sat, Aug. 15: Rev 11: 19a,12: 1-6a, 10ab; 1:12-2:4; 1 Cor 15: 20-27; Luke 1:39-56 Sun, Aug. 16: Isa 56:1, 6-7; Rom 11:13-15, 29-32; Matt 15:21-28

Arlene Alexson, Ann Allen, Carol Anderson, Molly McLaughlin Antila, Dennis Barta, Dave Benson, Phyllis Berninger, Elaine Boehm, Marcia Boehnlein, Patty Brennan, the Brown family, Lorraine Bryant, Stacy Budd, Jonathan Bulthuis, Pam Burd, Josefina Cahuex, David Carroll, Bob Corrick, Barbara Cracraft, Culver family, Larry Dease, Jim DeBruycker, Colleen Dooley, Rosemary Drees, Ava Dunlay, Kathie DuRocher, Henry F,

Bridgit & Paul Fiore, Carol Fourre, John & Margaret Frees, Michelle Fries, Kate Gilbert, Heidi Gregorich, Ron Guillfoile, Barbara Hager-Olsen, Mary Hale-Haniff, Claire Hayes, Isaiah Henry, Brad Hinker, Jim Hinton, Megan Hoffman, Jan Horner, Kathy Horner, Kathy Itzin, Ruth J., Tom Jay,

Jean E. John, Annie Kack, Glen Kelley, Chuck Kennedy, Paul Kennedy, John Kingston, Sage Kirscht, Steve Kremer, Abby L., Helen LaFavor, Amy Lainus, Melva Larson, Bobby Lindholm, Margaret Lulic, Chantilly Lynch, Dawn McCelland, Kate Meyer, Bob Miller, Rita Miller, Tom Moore, Bev Moran, Paige More, Royce Morrissette, Jack Muelken, Ted Mueller, Nate, Rita Nelson, Craig Nordby, Arla Olive, Dick Olson, Paul Olvera,

Mike O’Rourke, Colette Ott, Jacques Parent, Pam Paul, Alice Pirola, Pat Radecki, Graham & Nancy Rattray, Carol Reiland, Jack Riebel, Jean Rieck, Gina Romani, Donald & Susan Roufs, Dorothy Rowe, Pat Russell, Sri, Shasa Satrin, Ottavio Savina, Don Schafer, Dale Schmidkee, Carter Schmidt,

Phil Schmidt, Colleen Schroeder, Betty Scully, Gary Sheppard, Paul Skrip, Sam Slagerman, Harold Sonnek, Teddy Sparrman, Joan Speltz,, Ross Spriggs, Doug Stahlke, Vivian Steblay, Carson Stier, Nancy Stockhaus, Rick Streng, Joleen Strosahl, Beth Swanson, Gabe T, Grayson Taylor, Matthew Tennant, Dennis Thurmond, Troy, Glo Tonskemper, Arturo Torres, Al Traynham, Linda Underhill, Jesus Uz Tiu, Carin Vagle, Leroy Vague, Dave Velasco, Floyd Ward, Pam Washington, Marlys Weber, Lee Weinberger, Bennett Wentworth, Mary White, Jerry Wohnoutka, Jim Wolfe, Morley

Woodruff, Michele Wylie, Mike Wyman, Denise Wyttenbach, Sarah Yoder, Curt Youngren, Dave Youngren, Annemaire & Ava Zubrzycki, Bridget Zvirin

Prayer Corner Requests: To keep prayer requests current, names will be included in the bulletin for four weeks and then removed. To add a name or to renew your request, please call the Parish Center at 612.823.8205.

Prayer Corner: Please remember in your prayers those who are in need of healing:

Our Liturgies from April through today’s will be available through the St. Joan of Arc website. Celebrate virtually with Fr. DeBruycker , Fr. Cassidy and the SJA community.

Watch online at www.stjoan.com.

Families, tune in to the video liturgies designed for families!

Summary of contributions for the week and fiscal year. Includes plate, envelopes and estimated Sustaining Member payments.

Week of July 27 - August 2, 2020 Actual $14,389 Budget $27,467 Prior Year Actual $41,542

Year to Date (July 1 – August 2, 2020) Actual $129,178 Budget $164,800 Prior Year Actual $195,035

THANK YOU for your continued generosity!!

SJA Antiracism Ministry: Our SJA community is committed to learning together, confronting our own racism as well as the racism of our church and other institutions, and working together for racial justice. We continue our discussions and hope you will join us:

• Let's Talk: On Sunday, August 9, 11am - 1pm, we will learn tools to listen and talk with people we care about who may not share an anti-racist perspective - and we'll practice together! Register at https://forms.gle/32TGy7Z71yF6PgsG8

• Community Safety: On Sunday, August 23, 11am - 1pm, we envision and explore new models of community safety, including divesting from and even abolishing the current model of policing. Registration link to come.

Don't Forget to Vote! Exercise your right to vote this Tuesday, August 11. For info on elections and voting, go to the MN Secretary of State website: www.sos.state.mn.us.

SJA Eco-Spirits: We conclude our summer series by focusing on one of God's most beautiful creations: the butterfly! Learn more with us, and help protect our butterfly population: • Last week we watched and discussed a truly stunning and

fascinating film called Sex, Lies and the Butterfly, packed with facts and gorgeous photography. If you haven't seen it, go to www.dailymotion.com/video/x6iuxrg and enjoy!

• On Saturday, August 15, join us for a Pollinator Garden Tour, 9:30 - 10am. Tours are limited to 8, and the garden is on the corner of Hiawatha and 50th St. East. Email Jean to register at 63jmdiekmann@q.com.

• On August 10, 7 - 8pm, we will learn about the Monarch Butterfly and how to attract this butterfly to our gardens. Register at https://zoom.us/meeting/register/ tJAod-2urTkvGdZ47GsU51HTksKE7tRKU_we Help Parishioners In Need! If you are able to help members in our community with things like picking up & delivering groceries please contact Sherri Stella at 612.823.8205 ext. 231 or sstella@stjoan.com.

SJA Housing Ministry: Good News! Knowing how many families and individuals are impacted by the lack of affordable housing, we celebrate the good news of

Emerson Village, a new family supportive housing development planned for North Minneapolis. This project is the work of Bea-con Interfaith Housing Collaborative, and SJAers are serving as leaders to build awareness of and support for this beautiful, critically needed housing. Register for an online launch event on Thursday, August 13 at beaconinterfaith.org/event/nmplslaunch/ and await a link to attend the meeting online. Be part of our team and be part of this good news.

LGBTQ+ Book Club in the Great Outdoors! All are welcome to join the discussion on Wednesday, August 26, 1 - 2:30pm of A History of My Brief Body, by Billy-Ray Belcourt. This is a collection of brave, raw essays on grief and joy, colonial violence and queerness by a person from the Driftpile Cree Nation. We'll meet at Como Park West Picnic Shelter. Bring a lawn chair, lunch and beverage.

Medicare for All: What Will It Really Cost? 30 million Ameri-

cans have no health insurance, and the cost of our health care is far higher than in other countries. The South Minneapolis and SJA Chapters of Health Care for All MN present a workshop on Medicare for All on Thursday,

August 13, 6:30 - 8pm. Dr. Gordon Mosser will speak on the costs of this proposal and how the program might be funded. To register, go to https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAqf-itrDgrHd2umlFqjlK2AgITt28u2SmJ

Emergency Arts Boxes is asking families to create boxes filled with new, packaged, unopened art supplies that will be distributed to people devastated by the killing of George Floyd. Please drop off your box at SJA Monday - Friday, 9am - 3pm. FFI contact Gabrielle at gdane@stjoan.com or visit https://emergencyarts.net. Find a box (such as a shoe box) and pack boxes with any or all art supplies: • Pencils, Colored pencils • Manual pencil sharpener • Crayons • Markers • Glue stick • Blank construction paper • Blank notebooks • Blank sketchpad • Paints and brushes • Watercolor set • Air dry clay • Tape

Draw, write, or create something with a message of hope, solidarity, and justice and place inside the box:

• Justice for George Floyd • We stand with you • We will not be silent

Food Shelf Donations Are Needed: We will continue to accept

non-perishable food items, which can be dropped off Monday thru Friday, 9am - 3pm, in the bins in the Parish Center entry. Your food offerings are donated to the Foodshelf at Sabathani Community Center

and they have also indicated a need for laundry detergent and body soap. Thank you for your willingness to help those in need.

Catholic Social Teaching: The Foundation of Our Faith and Our Shared Future. The principles of CST offer us a powerful lens through which to see and love the world as God does. They are a blueprint for us in overwhelming times: • Human Dignity: Every one of us is created in the image and likeness of God. • Common Good: We realize our human dignity in relationship and community. • Option for the Poor: The moral test of our society is how we treat our most vulnerable. • Rights and Responsibilities: We all have a fundamental right to what is needed to live in dignity - life, food, shelter, health care,

education, employment. We also have a responsibility to participate in our public life together. • Role of Government: The state has a positive moral function to promote human dignity, protect human rights and build the common good. • Economic Justice: All workers have the right to decent and fair wages and safe working conditions. No one is allowed to amass

excessive wealth while others lack the basic necessities of life. • Stewardship of God's Creation: We are called to live in right relationship with the earth. • Promotion of Peace and Disarmament: Peace is not just the absence of war. Peace is the fruit of justice. • Global Solidarity: We are called to work together globally in an interdependent world.

Mobile Loaves Twin Cities needs toiletry size soap, shampoo and lotion, toothpaste, toothbrushes and lightweight socks. Please place your donations in the collection hamper across from the food shelf bin in the Parish Center entrance. FFI contact info@mobileloavestc.com.

A Prayer During Times of COVID-19

In this time of COVID-19, we pray: When we aren’t sure, God,

help us be calm; when information comes

from all sides, correct and not, help us to discern;

when fear makes it hard to breathe, and anxiety seems to be the order of the day,

slow us down, God; help us to reach out with our hearts, when we can’t touch with our hands;

help us to be socially connected, when we have to be socially distant;

help us to love as perfectly as we can, knowing that “perfect love casts out all fear.”

for the doctors, we pray, for the nurses we pray,

for the technicians and the janitors and the aides and the caregivers, we pray, for the researchers and theorists,

the epidemiologists and investigators, for those who are sick,

and those who are grieving, we pray, for all who are affected, all around the world …

we pray for safety, for health,

for wholeness. May we feed the hungry,

give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked and house those without homes;

may we walk with those who feel they are alone, and may we do all that we can to heal

the sick - in spite of the fear. Help us, O God,

that we might help each other. in the name of the Creator, in the name of the Healer,

in the life of the Holy Spirit that is in all and with all, We pray.

May it be so. -Rev. Richard Botts